I’ve a long history with candlelit
catastrophes in my life, starting with the Styrofoam Christmas centerpiece I made in Girl Guides. I was so proud to have made something festive, that when I lit the candle to show my Dad it toppled over while burning. The Styrofoam caught fire, that stuff burns like nothing else, and the entire molten mess poured itself onto the coffee table. I have a vivid memory of it burning, and you think I would have learned my lesson then. Not at all, not me.
There was the time I mixed some scraps from a left over soy candle into a smaller container and left the room only to come back and see flames that were over 18 inches high shooting towards the ceiling.
The elderly neighbour who left a candle burning in a plastic holder, making thick black smoke pour into the hallway, and slowly asphyxiating him all night, he could have burnt down our building, or died. The burning candelabra that I knocked into my Dad’s suit at our wedding, not once but twice. And frankly just too many more incidences that rather worried me enough to swear off candles forever.
I’ve had more then my share of near misses, last minute ditches, and saved by the bell moments with candles, and for years I used the cheap plastic battery operated tea lights instead of candles. That is until I discovered wax flameless candles with timers, they are so lifelike, flicker, and turn themselves on, and off, and there is no danger or burning down the house. I have them all over, they are not cheap, but if you purchase them at a big box, or on sale you can add to your collection quite easily.
My candlelit catastrophes are quenched with these simple to use battery operated beauties, and I don’t need to remember to turn them on and off, they do that themselves… no more crying over spilt wax, no more flaming worries. We hear about so many house fires caused by unattended candles at this time of year, it might be worth considering switching, and it would be worth the peace of mind.